Section 1, the secretive clique that oversees high school sports in the Lower Hudson Valley, has apparently suspended two basketball coaches for one game next season. Why? Because their teams participated in a Nike-sponsored charity game to promote LGBTQ awareness without filling out the necessary paperwork. Not surprisingly, a variety of officials are flabbergasted and outraged. We share their concerns (if not their surprise).

NYSUT President Andy Pallotta is calling on the NYS Public High School Athletic Association to investigate Section 1's motivations, writing in a letter that the suspensions are "contrary to the lessons of fairness and sportsmanship that educators stress every day." Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano called the decision to punish coaches over a technicality "drastic" and criticized Section 1's infamous lack of transparency. And GLSEN, the educational group that benefited from the charity basketball game, demanded that Section 1 explain its decision since "We are left wondering whether homophobia may have played a role."

Alas, these critics are likely to be disappointed. Section 1's leaders, President James Mackin and Executive Director Jennifer Simmons, prefer not to explain their decisions or answer questions from coaches or the media. Even though Section 1 exists to serve mostly public schools in four counties and is overseen primarily by educators who are used to being accountable to the public, Section 1 behaves like a private group protecting its own little fiefdom of high school sports.

Saunders coach Anthony Nicodemo talks to an official during his team's 59-41 loss to Mount Vernon in the Class AA semifinals at the Westchester County Center in 2016.(Photo: John Meore/The Journal News)

Maybe the harsh glare of criticism over the suspension of two coaches — for having their teams participate in a charity basketball game — will build momentum toward much needed change.

One of the two suspended coaches, Anthony Nicodemo of Saunders High School in Yonkers, believes that Section 1 is being vindictive because he condemned Section 1's highly controversial decision to move its basketball championships out of the Westchester County Center. "The optics of this are wrong in every way," Nicodemo, who has been out since 2013, tweeted Tuesday. "Choosing to pick an #lbgt event to attack is vindictive. Bullying and intimidation the current climate." The second suspended coach is Somers’ Chris DiCintio, whose team played Saunders in the charity game on Jan. 20.

Agreed! I still can't believe @coachNicodemo was suspended for organizing a high school basketball game that raised money for @GLSEN. This needs to be investigated and the suspension rescinded. https://t.co/2gt0s0p1k9

Some might wonder whether an agency that serves schools and students could be so vindictive. In January, Rich Leaf was dropped as public address announcer of Section 1's basketball championships after 36 years. He told The Journal News/lohud that he asked Simmons whether the move was the result of his open criticism of the decision to leave the County Center. "She said it was 50-50," Leaf said, adding later that "I'm beginning to think more and more that this is vindictive."

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Semifinal games, like this Haldane vs. Tuckahoe Class C game, could use the County Center, but the 2018 Section 1 championships were moved from the storied venue.(Photo: John Meore/The Journal News)

It is in the realm of possibility that Nicodemo and Leaf may have the whole thing all wrong. NYSUT and GLSEN may be jumping to conclusions. Maybe all the coaches, players and parents who slammed Section 1's decision to move the basketball championships just didn't understand Section 1's thinking. Maybe the lead negotiator for a new contract for Section 1 officials was wrong to charge that Simmons abruptly stopped talks in November, forcing officials to wait until at least next fall for raises.

There's no way to say, because Section 1 doesn't talk. Even if — against the odds — Section 1 leadership is just misunderstood, whose fault is that?

Section 1 is not a big operation. It is one of 11 regional bodies that oversee most high school sports across New York State. Section 1's policy is set by an Executive Committee made up mostly of superintendents and athletic directors, led by Mackin, principal of Hendrick Hudson High School. Section 1 is managed by an Athletic Council made up of athletic directors and other school administrators.

But Section 1's website does not say who serves on either body. And Section 1's Constitution, which was available on the website until recently, seems to have disappeared. The website does not provide agendas or minutes of Executive Committee meetings, since Section 1 seems to believe that it is not subject to the state's Freedom of Information and Open Meetings laws. And yet, a 2013 advisory opinion by the state Committee on Open Government found that Section 11 in Suffolk County was a public agency, subject to FOIL and Open Meetings laws, because it served an essential function for public schools. The same is true of Section 1.

The suspensions of Nicodemo and DiCintio were supposedly approved by Section 1's Athletic Council. Chris McCarthy, AD for John Jay High School in Cross River and a member of the Athletic Council, said the move was in line with past decisions, but that Section 1 needs to update antiquated polices that punish coaches for administrative mistakes.

It's important to note that McCarthy, Nicodemo and Yonkers schools spokeswoman Jerilynne Fierstein all say that Yonkers Athletic Director Jim Rose did speak with Simmons about the charity event before it was held. Fierstein says that Rose came away satisfied that he met requirements. The event was hosted by Sarah Lawrence College and retired NBA player Jason Collins participated.

The Yonkers and Somers school districts could appeal the suspensions to the NYS Public High School Athletic Association. But Fierstein said that the Yonkers Public Schools have not yet received official written notification of Nicodemo's suspension, so cannot yet appeal.

What is going on here? The superintendents, principals and athletic directors affiliated with Section 1 should be embarrassed by a series of decisions that have infuriated the prep sports community and beyond. Section 1's dreadful communications practices and willful opposition to transparency is impossible to understand. This region is known for progressive education and, during these difficult times, sports should be one area where we showcase our best. It's time for educators to step in and fix Section 1.